“Volunteer” column for Dec. 23, 2012

“Volunteer” column for Dec. 23, 2012

Volunteer opportunities, provided by Volunteer! United (formerly Volunteer! Baton Rouge), are outlined in this column every Sunday. To learn more about these opportunities, contact the listed agency directly.

LIGHT UP THE NIGHT, BREC’s Baton Rouge Zoo — Erin O’Neil, (225) 272-9200, ext. 143, or volunteer@brec.org: Holiday animal lights around the zoo light up the nights for families to enjoy during BREC’s ZooLights through Dec. 30. Volunteers are needed to help light the lights and pass out giveaway items while assisting with crafts and activities. For more information and to sign up, email or call.

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED, Capital Area CASA — Emily Hebert, (225) 379-8598: Capital Area CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) Association, a nonprofit organization that recruits, trains and supervises community volunteers to advocate for abused and neglected children, will hold its next volunteer training course beginning Jan 8. CASA needs the help of community volunteers in order to continue to provide an advocate for every abused child who needs one. No special experience is required other than a willingness to get involved and to learn.

Volunteers must be 21 years old. The first step to getting involved is to attend a brief orientation at the CASA office. Call or visit http://www.casabr.org for more information.

HELP OTHERS WITH THEIR TAXES, Capital Area United Way — Jillian Sergio, (225) 382-3507 or jillians@cauw.org: Capital Area United Way is seeking Volunteer Income Tax Assistance volunteers for the 2013 tax season.

VITA volunteers will receive training from the IRS to provide free tax preparation for low- to-moderate income families who need assistance with their tax returns, which in turn helps provide more financially stable futures for community members. For more information, visit http://www.cauw.org/taxprep or contact Sergio.

Activities and posts include expo setup, race information desk, registration, packet pickup, race setup, finish festival and more. There is something for everyone. Sign up for all shifts available at http://louisianavolunteer.eventbrite.com/. See the website or contact Engemann for more information.